US Army Joint Base Lewis-McChord - WorkSource Affiliate

US Army Mark Sanders Award Nomination: Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), WorkSource Affiliate

Contact Information of Individual Submitting Nomination

Nominator: Janelle Guthrie

Agency Name: US Army Employment Security Department

US Army Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), WorkSource Affiliate

The Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) WorkSource Affiliate is the first fully integrated in-the-gate American Job Center in the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of the Army. Comprised of 11 WIOA title I, III and IV staff, and supported by five employment/training and supportive services organizations with over 20 support staff, JBLM has two JVSG staff (DVOP) supporting transitioning service members, veterans and their families and the Army wounded warrior program. WorkSource JBLM has helped 1,200 transitioning service members find formidable employment opportunities, supported by a collaborative business services model focused on veteran employment and supportive services.

1. Number of One-Stop Career Centers in your state: 22
2. Number of JVSG-funded staff statewide: 46
3. Number of staff in One-Stop Career Center being nominated: 11
4. Number of JVSG-funded staff in One-Stop Career Center being nominated: 2

Provide a statement of results, accomplishments, impact and any other appropriate information that demonstrates why this One-Stop Career Center should receive the Mark Sanders Award for Exceptional Service to Veterans, with special emphasis on Veterans with Significant Barriers to Employment. Describe the outstanding features, innovations, inventive and unique approaches to serving Veterans that makes this One-Stop Career Center exceptional. (response limit: 400 words)

One of the largest military installations in the US Army, JBLM provides transition services for over 6,000 separating service members annually and over 60 percent of them choose to remain in the area. The WorkSource Affiliate on JBLM is the nationwide model for integrating Workforce Development services within the military transition community, leveraging resources within the DoD, state and local agencies to provide comprehensive employment and supportive services for transitioning service members, their families and separated veterans.

WorkSource JBLM has provided career readiness assistance to over 2,000 service members, spouses and veterans, including individual employment plans, industry specific training, counseling and mentoring, career planning, internships, work experience opportunities, out-of-area job search assistance and relocation assistance. These services are instrumental in providing career ready individuals to the local labor market, leveraging military experience, leadership capabilities and technical proficiency to make them top performers in their chosen industries.

The WorkSource JBLM Veteran Services team, supported by Disabled Veteran Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists, has provided intensive services to over 200 wounded warriors and their families, connecting them with local, regional and national resources to assist them in their transition process and alleviate any unnecessary burdens.

The DVOPs engage at-risk populations with out-of-area resource assistance, connecting them to other veteran services teams across the U.S. and ensuring a continuum-of-care model. Our DVOPs have processed hundreds of Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program/Veterans Integration Program packets for transitioning service members who exit into a verified state of homelessness. The team has provided Hilton Honors packets to transitioning service members, allowing them to attend verified employment related events such as interviews and pre-employment training. Thanks to this program, 15 transitioning service members have received verified placements or job offers.

The team has established strong partnerships and integrated into several community committees that support homeless veterans. As a member of the Homeless Empowerment Labor Project, the team has proposed several initiatives to break the cycle of homelessness for the thousands of veterans we serve each year.

The team monitors our programs to measure progress against goals continuously improving throughout the process. Our team focuses on providing disabled, homeless and low-income veterans and their families with the housing, food, clothing and supportive services necessary to be self-sufficient and to sustain their quality of life. We incorporate preventive measures into the transition plan to help transitioning service members overcome unforeseeable negative circumstances upon exit from active duty military service.

Provide specific examples of how this One-Stop Career Center has gone “above and beyond” to serve Veterans, with special emphasis on Veterans with Significant Barriers to Employment. (response limit: 200 words)

The WorkSource JBLM Veteran Services team has provided intensive services for over 400 veterans with significant employment barriers, transitioning from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Recently the team assisted a homeless female veteran who was a victim of Military Sexual Trauma (MST). They connected her to counseling services and helped her find a long-term housing option previously unavailable to her due to her past eviction history. Her newfound stability and self-sufficiency has kept her consistently employed and her children are now able to attend school full-time since the housing issues have been resolved.

Team members serve on several continuum of care/supportive services committees throughout Pierce County, affording them first-hand access to services that support homeless veterans and veterans with significant barriers. The team focuses on the total veteran concept, connecting with all veterans regardless of their status with supportive services and conducting routine follow-ups to ensure veterans take advantage of the provided services. The JBLM Veteran Services team has received much recognition for their relentless efforts to support our disadvantaged veteran community, including the “Excellent 10” award from the Economic Development Board for Tacoma-Pierce County.

Describe State and/or Local interagency partnerships, partnerships with the business community, collaborative efforts with Veteran Service Organizations, Organized Labor, and others that demonstrates the One-Stop Career Centers’ commitment to excellence in the provision of quality employment, training and supportive service to Veterans, with a special emphasis on Veterans with Significant Barriers to Employment. Describe how these partnerships improved the Veterans’ experience, and resulted in exceptional service above and beyond the definition of mandatory service provision outlined in Wagner Peyser, WIOA, and USDOL Veteran Program Letters. Please include specifics, such as the names of the partner agencies, VSOs, business groups, etc. (response limit: 400 words)

Through the Integrated Services Delivery (ISD) model, established within the Soldier for Life-Transition Assistance Program (SFL-TAP), we successfully collaborate with our community partners and federal agencies to develop long-term strategic plans, Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) processes and common sets of integrated metrics and benchmarks to evaluate the Veteran Services Program’s performance. Together we continue to refine our business processes to ensure a formidable continuum of care model that records and evaluates warm-handoffs between partners within the state of Washington and across the nation for our veteran community.

WorkSource JBLM provides a collaborative and comprehensive career services delivery model to support the Military Transition Assistance Program—not replicated or duplicated by the Department of Defense or any other workforce development program. This program empowers our transitioning service members for a lifetime by not only promoting employment placement but also providing resources and tools to help our service members find meaningful and gainful employment to support their families.

While the large majority of our customers are transitioning service members, WorkSource JBLM also serves military spouses and other family members, veterans, and Department of Army (DA) civilians with base access (employees of military contractors, etc.). All customers directly access staff from our traditional WorkSource partners, including the Workforce Central and Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Councils (WDCs), Career Path Services WIOA Title I Services, and the Employment Security Department, (ESD). However, many connect to employment and training services by referral from the JBLM SFL-TAP at WorkSource JBLM. Others receive referrals from our comprehensive network of community partners on and off base, like the Directorate of Personnel and Family Readiness, JBLM Wounded Warrior Battalion, alternate installation SFL-TAP programs, Washington Dept. of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) and the USO. Similarly, customers may receive a warm handoff to one of our public/private partners, including the JBLM Career Skills Program, JBLM, Army Family and Community Services, WDVA, Department of Health Social & Human Services, to receive specialized services with all metrics and performance measures overseen by the Washington State Military Transition Council (WSMTC). The WSMTC oversees all issues with the military transition process and works collaboratively with the SFL-TAP program to ensure all service members receive world-class transition services to achieve the desired actionable results.

Describe how Veterans services are integrated in this One-Stop Career Center, and provide a detailed description of the service provision flow experienced by a Veteran accessing One-Stop Career Center services. Include information on how this center insures Veterans receive Priority of Service. (response limit: 200 words)

The WorkSource Affiliate on JBLM has introduced an escalated level of veteran supportive services not previously available with comprehensive services to wounded warriors and their families to ensure a seamless transition from active duty military service. The team has also helped over 500 service members prematurely separated from military service due to chapter and medical retirement with action plans to reduce significant barriers to employment. It then connects them with Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVERs) for job placement assistance.

One of our DVOPs recently assisted a service member facing an expedited separation process from the military under 60 days. The service member’s home of record was Sacramento. He had no definitive housing or employment plan upon exit. Our DVOP contacted the Veteran Services team in Sacramento, connected him with wraparound resources to stabilize him upon arrival and provided career services to prepare him for exit. On May 14, the veteran advised our team he had housing assistance and full-time employment starting the week after he arrives in California. To date, the team has connected over 300 disabled veterans who have out-of-state home of records to veteran supportive service agencies across the country.

Please provide any other information deemed appropriate that illustrates why this One-Stop Career Center should be selected as the recipient of this year’s Mark Sanders Award for Exceptional Service to Veterans. (response limit: 100 words)

The JBLM Veteran Services team leads the way with this transition services initiative, providing a holistic approach to employing veterans and empowering them for a lifetime. Our team has incorporated innovative methods to connect veterans with resources, establishing formidable community partnerships to ensure veterans receive the best services possible. We are veteran advocates in the community, supporting programs outside of ESD and across the veteran supportive services community. Incorporating this team into the JBLM transition process provides the DoD a valuable resource to serve our transitioning population and to measure actionable results of our work.